Jul 24 Manpuku | 萬福

Style: Tokyo Style ShoyuBowl to Crush: Chuka Soba

Manpuku is one of the very oldest living ramen shops in Tokyo. Family owned and operated for generations, the shop has been serving the same soup recipe, from the same location in Ginza, since 1929. Kasahara-san, the OG master, worked until two years before his death at the age of 85. In the early days, he was known as one of the rare Japanese chefs who specialized in Western food, and the shop originally offered international dishes as well as ramen. Today, the menu is exclusively ramen-based, along with a few Chinese classics. Photos of Kasahara-san and shop memorabilia can be seen throughout the restaurant. Kubo-san, the master’s grandson, runs Manpuku today, keeping the old recipes cooking.

Naturally, Manpuku’s chuka soba is a classic, old school Tokyo-style shoyu: deep in color, smooth in taste, served with simple noodles and standard toppings. Non-ramen options include gyoza, fried shrimp omelet, miso eggplant stir-fry and more. This is simple, hearty fare for the blue-collar worker. Most of the customers seem to be salarymen regulars and old-timers who live or work nearby. Many have been coming for decades.